We have one class left, but I feel I can review the course now. Cheryl Huffman runs the Smart Paws…read moreAcademy. She is the dog whisperer. She can make the very naughty Oola Fandango do anything within seconds. It's magical. Better yet, she can train US to make Oola do anything. That is also magical. We haven't had as much time as we would like to train because of holidays, work and family stuff happening, but I feel I have a solid foundation and we can be successful when we can truly devote the time. Oola is already better behaved and following more commands more reliably. You get a DVD and workbook when you sign up for a course. The first lecture is just with the humans and Cheryl; you bring your dog to class after that. The teaching occurs in an unheated, no air conditioning barn on Cheryl's property, so in the winter dress warm, in the summer bring water. All the dogs are trained at the same time but she is happy to give you a few moments of one on one time, she asks for praises and problems from each owner at the beginning of each session, and is available by phone or email with questions. And it's cheap! Under 100 bucks for the series. She does obedience, agility, all sorts of stuff; we were in the beginning obedience class. Granted it is in Oregon City, so it's a hike for most people, but it is totally worth it. She has evening and weekend classes. Everything Cheryl does makes sense and she only uses positive training methods. There is no yelling, hitting, or pinch collars, and Cheryl is very clear that she expects you to treat your animal with respect and kindness. So, in summary, Cheryl Huffman ROCKS the dog world. In a few short weeks we have Oola off the halter and only using a collar, walking better on leash, sometimes comes when called, can sit and lay down on command, and is learning to stay with some success. Her behavior overall is better and we are less stressed. There is more training to do and we have the tools and the workbook so we can continue to improve when the class is over. Consider Smart Paws for dog training. You and your dog will be good canine citizens when you are finished. http://www.smartpawsacademy.com

I would highly recommend starting your puppy in the puppy romper room. We did that at 10 weeks for…read moreWalter Baby (he went every week) and now our dog loves all humans and dogs! This class taught me how to encourage my dog to find learning fun... It also trained me so that I can be a good pet owner. Cheryl gave lots of detailed advice about socialization and I learned a lot. Cheryl is very good at what she does... She can help any dog regardless of their personality. She answers emails and personal calls and is very helpful! I am so happy I found Smart Paws! My puppy is now 6 months and we are in the Beginning Companion class. I love it! Everything is positive rewards (no punishment) and it is so exciting to see my stubborn little bulldog learn new things! I would highly recommend this class for any dog.

We took our 31/2 year old black lab to stay at Kalik Acres while we took a family vacation this…read moreJuly. It was our first experience boarding, and we looked at allot of options before deciding on Kalik Acres. After taking Reggie to Kalik Acres for an introduction prior to our trip, we felt very comfortable with Elizabeth, the environment, and the fact that Reggie would be cared for like one of their own dogs without kennels and able to have a large outdoor play area and sleep in the house with his new friends just like at home. We are very happy with their care and would use them again for our next trip. We would highly recommend their services.

Our vacation plans changed on a dime and we needed a place for our 2 old puggies. One couldn't walk…read morewell and the other is almost blind. I was very nervous to locate a place that didn't lock the dogs up in a kennel. I contacted Elizabeth at Kalik Acres and she had us booked for about 13 days without any trouble. We were very relieved that our old pugs were in a family setting with an easy access to outdoors, special beds for naps and plenty of interaction with people. We received update texts and pictures almost daily. Their grandchildren fed the pugs dinner one night - bite by bite. Their home and yard is safe from traffic. I could tell the old pugs were part of this family and never missed a meal or a nap! Since our first visit there our oldest puggy has passed on. We have taken the almost blind one back for a stay and he is happy to be in their care. We will continue to call on Kalik Acres to care for our old puggy.

Jeannine has been great with my rescue, Sophie. Sophie was 10 months old with little to no human…read moreinteraction/socialization when I got her. We started out with 10 private lessons and have continued on with another 6 private lessons. I'm happy with the progress that Sophie and I have made and look forward to the happy puppy I know she's learning to be. Thanks for all of your hard work with us both. We're becoming quite the duo thanks to Jeannine

Jeannine was recommended to me by a co-worker at Providence St V's in Portland…read more I had fallen ill and after two hospitalizations was unable to participate in our 16 wk old puppies socialization and basic training. Jeannine came to my home, met Molly and I was able to discuss concerns already developing in her demeanor. I choose to have Jeannine take Molly that very day to her training facility in Oregon City. Molly would remain there for two weeks. After that period of time I began working under the tutelage of Jeannine as an active participant in Mollys developmental training. Jeannine has Many years of experience training, handling and judging canines of all breeds. Jeannine also provides support to all ages of clients in many venues, like, seminars, dog shows, and on her revised website; Goodlifedogtraining.com. Molly is a work in process and will be for the foreseeable future. She is a Border collie and Pitbull mix, 50# of solid muscle and obstanicy. I cannot say enough about the support, knowledge base and gentle means of training both dog and owner through combined methods she has studied the last 35 years and promulgated into her pedigogy. Kay Donaldson

Our first session with Youngblood was great! He's very knowledgeable and professional. He gave us a…read morefollow up reminder message of what we learned and advice on how to use the technique in details. Will definitely recommend him to other people for dog training.

We adopted Hunter after his being in 3 foster homes. As a one and a half year old golden, being…read moretossed around his whole life, he naturally had several "issues". Our friends recommended Youngblood, and we are so grateful they did. After just one lesson, Hunter seemed more at ease, and not as scared. We just finished our 5th lesson, and Hunter is a new dog. Calm, manners, not afraid. Can't thank you enough Youngblood and have already recommended you to a friend. Wish there was a higher Yelp rating to give you. Paul, Pam & Hunter

Amy is very sweet with a calm demeanor. I really appreciate her laid back approach. She takes the…read moretime to get to know our dog and let her feel comfortable with her. We got our Dane puppy at the peak of the pandemic so she isn't socialized very well. Trust is a huge issue with Callie and she gained her trust almost immediately. Her calming approach is just what Callie needs. Give Amy a shot. You can't beat her rates!

From the owner: Book your pet session today! We will come to you and do one on one training with you and your dog read more

We have had a great experience getting our new sheltie puppy from Sheltiesmiles. Jodi, a very busy…read moremom to 7 human kids, was great in replying to my emails and questions. She happily scheduled a visit for us to come and meet the puppies and pick one out, which is probably the hardest thing we've ever had to do...just pick ONE out of the litter of adorable puppies. The contract is simple and straightforward. Jodi does request that on the day you get your puppy that you not come into the house--this is to limit/avoid the stress to the mother, who will worry and search for the "missing" puppy if she smells strangers in the home that day. Jodi was able to meet us half way to deliver the puppy to us. The stuffed animal and little fleece blanket that Jodi gave us, which had been rubbed on her mother and litter mates was very comforting, I believe, on the drive home and for the first days and nights with us. The puppies are litter-trained. After a few days, we began the house training process as usual, but did keep the litter box outside the door to help with any middle of the night potty trips (I have to carry her down some stairs to get to the yard, so if we're in a big hurry or it's the middle of the night the box was there for our back up. She is very confident, likes meeting visitors, is curious and explores everything, and is comfortable with most household sounds (vacuum, garbage disposal, beeps of microwave, doorbell, talking, laughing, sneezing, etc.). She has instantly fallen in love with our two year old sheltie and it's mutual. From the beginning she usually sleeps the night through--hurray! I hope you will conduct your own research and get in touch with Jodi if you're interested in getting a Sheltie for your family. It has truly been a great experience for us.

I have a poorly bred unsocialized as a puppy from them. They are nothing but a puppy mill that…read moreproduces dogs that cannot be walked or outside of a fenced yard or in a house as they are aggressive. I have had wonderful shelties for over 25 years, none like theirs. I think she put up the positive review herself or someone for her. texted me and called me a b----h. Having your friends write good reviews for you?

I love my dogs and I am admittedly slightly neurotic when it comes to their care. So, it's a relief…read moreto have found The Wag Staff, a company that I trust 100% to take good care of my pups when I am away from home. We have booked overnight care in our home and daily visits many times and always return to happy pups who have played lots and have been given loads of attention in our absence. Whether it is navigating a walk with two big dogs and sunbathing neighborhood cats, finding a lost ball, or getting our older dog to eat his meds, Arielle has been up for every challenge or special request while dog sitting for us. We get text and photo updates too, which is so nice when I'm missing my furry family members. Scheduling and paying for services is also a breeze. If you are looking for a reliable business that you can depend on for in-home dog care or dog walking, I highly recommend The Wag Staff.

I've been a client of The Wag Staff for five months now, and all I can say is wow! The amazing…read moreprofessionalism, deep love of their animal clients and wonderful care they provide is top-notch. After every visit they provide me with a text message with photos and an update about how it went with my dogs. I'd highly recommend TWS for your pet's needs.

In a perfect world, I would hope that no one would need to avail themselves of their service and…read moreour beloved animals would live with us forever. When that is no longer the case and tough decisions need to be made, we had an excellent experience with Compassionate Care to say goodbye to our pup. Let me start by saying that every administrative and customer service interaction was timely, clear, and concise. The last thing you want in this situation are delays and confusion. Once I reached out through the contact link on their website, the email response with details about their different services happened within 10 minutes. An intake call to make arrangements for a euthanasia visit at our home was answered by a human and only took a few minutes. They recommend making a reservation 48-hours in advance, but we were put on a wait-list and we moved up our reservation when things opened up. I appreciate that you can reschedule (with four hours advance notice) as well. They have a variety of services, Eco-friendly cremation, and memorial pieces. Everything was arranged in advance, including payment through their web portal, so when the vet arrived for the appointment it was all about our boy and his (and our) comfort. Dr. Wilson clearly walked us through the process, gave us time to say goodbye, provided options, and was a wonderful partner in the process. Cremation is done at a facility in N. Portland, but they have the option of picking up the cremains in Oregon City which was more convenient for us. Having gone through this experience with another pet where we took them to the vet's office, I would highly recommend this option for the pet's comfort. It just felt better saying goodbye in a familiar space surrounded by love.

My experience was okay…read more I made a most difficult decision to let my beloved cat go after a long weekend spent almost entirely in ER trying to figure out why he would no longer eat and why his eye was swelling shut. And an even longer two or three weeks before that fighting to get him to eat. Like others here, Kevin was closer to me than my human family. I was busy with the doctors in ER so my partner called in to make the appointment to ease my stress. He said I was primary contact, but it was difficult to make that clear all the way until the day so communications were continually going to him. Not a big deal in the overall picture, but it didn't make the experience any easier. This was my cat for 8 years before I met my partner and while he loved my baby, I was the one with the lifelong bond. The doctor showed up within the time window allotted. We both found her a little cold. I felt like we were just a job and everything was done by number. My BF picked up my cat and carried him to me, but the doctor said we should do paperwork first which resulted in me putting him down after building up to do what I deemed impossible. I was emotional and crying. This really should somehow be handled before the visit. There were corrections to be made on the form. I was about to lose my baby and this only made me aware that I was filling out his death warrant. I am utterly heartbroken. I know holding your baby until the last minute is catharsis and closure, but I found it traumatizing. His passing was peaceful at least. Everyone's goodbye will be unique, and my example will not necessarily match what others experience. Everyone we spoke to was professional. I just wasn't feeling the compassion.

Red was so helpful to our family! Our puppy, Patrick didn't like walks or meeting other dogs. He…read morewas nipping at our daughter and peeing in the house. I loved that Red came to our house to interact with our family- to see how he reacts in our home. After just a week of work with Red, Patrick was so much better- in all areas. We can now go on walks and he's so much better behaved. We still have work to do, but Red has given us the tools to help and she's always available to us by phone.

From the owner: I specialize in teaching pack leader mentality and dog communication techniques, for you dog lovers…read moreof all ages. I work on behavioral rehabilitation for teen dogs & old dogs & teach "good dog" behavior to young puppies. I give life time support for your dogs.

Chelsea is an incredible trainer. We initially brought our pup, Poppi, to her first series class,…read morewhich served as a perfect foundation for her training. The pricing is very reasonable, especially considering the detailed handouts we received that expanded on each lesson. Chelsea is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to canine behavior and motivation. I especially appreciate her focus on "consent-based" training rather than using force. We were so impressed that we booked a series of in-home sessions and will definitely be working with her again in the future!

I used one of their self-service dog bathing stations to give my Labradoodle a bath. Everything I…read moreneeded was provided - shampoo (I didn't use it because I brought my own), professional hair dryer, brushes, towels, etc. It's a bargain for $20, and they gave me a punch card good for a free 10th bath. The store and the bathing stations are spotless. Super friendly staff, too. Highly recommended!